Brick-cleaning machine.



No. 779,224. PATENTED JAN. 3, 1905. F. T. LEEDBR.

BRICK CLEANING MACHINE.

APPLICATION I'ILED JUNE 23,1904.

UNITED STATES Patented January 3, 1905.

FRANCIS T. 'LEEDER, OF SIOUX CITY, IOWA.

BRICK-CLEANING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 779,224, dated January 3, 1905,

l Application filed June 23, 190 Serial No. 213,850.

T 0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS T, LEEDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sioux City, in the county of Woodbury and State'of Iowa, have invented new and useful Improvements in Brick-Cleaning Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to brick-cleaning machines, and aims to provide a machine of such character with new and novel means for cleaning bricks.

Primarily the invention resides in the construction of the cleaning-heads of the machine, together with a means for imparting uniform pressure to the heads, so that the heads will bear against the bricks in a uniform manner during the cleaning operation and which will compensate for the varying thicknesses of the mortar carried by the bricks.

The invention further aims to provide the cleaning-heads with raised cutting portions or teeth which facilitate the removal of the mortar from the bricks during the passage of the latter between the cleaning-heads.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in View the invention aims to construct a machine of the class referred to which shall be simple in its construction, strong, durable, efficient in its use, and comparatively inexpensive to set up; and to this end the invention consists of the novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more specifically described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In describing the invention in detail reference is had to the accompanying drawings, formingapart of this specification, and wherein like reference characters denote correspond-- ing parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of a brick-cleaning machine embodying the novel features of this invention. Fig. 2 is a section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is an elevation of the working face of one of the cleaning-heads.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters, 1 denotes the feed-table, having a longitudinally-extending opening 2 to permit of the operation of the conveyer-blocks 3, carried by the conveyer 4. The latter at one'end travels over a pulley 5, mounted upon a shaft 6, suitably journaled in the table, while the other end of the conveyer is connected to an operatingmeanstherefor. (Notshown) The conveyerblocks 4 are adapted to pass between the cleaning heads, to be hereinafter referred to.

Mounted upon the feed-table 1 is a series of longitudinallyextending supporting members 7 8, and 9, the members 7 and 9 being arranged at the sides of the table 1, and the member 8 is interposed between the members 7 and 9. Adj ustably secured through the medium of a slot-and-bolt connection 10 to the supporting member 9 is a longitudinally-extending guide-bar 11, which is arranged parallel with the path of the conveyer-blocks, and adjustably secured to the member 8 through the medium of a slot-and-bolt connection 12 is a guide 13. which extends a portion of its length parallel with the path of the conveyerblocks and has its rear end curved outwardly, as at 14. The guides 11 and 13 are adapted to retain and guide the bricks in position toward the cleaning-heads, to be hereinafter referred to.

J ournaled in the members 7 and 8 and extending in a transverse direction is a rotatable and transversely movable or yielding shaft 15, carrying a gear or band wheel 16, which is suitably connected with means for imparting movement thereto, thereby rotating the shaft 15. The outer end of the shaft 15 is engaged by a head 17 carried on the forward end of an adjustable regulating-lever 18, the latter being pivoted to the member 7, as at 19, and has extending therethrough intermediate its length a regulating-pin 20,screwthreaded at its outer end, as at 21, and upon said outer end 21 is mounted a regulating-bur 22. The regulating-pin passes through an eye 23 and has its inner end provided with a head 24. Between said eye and head is mounted a tension-spring 25 upon the pin 20, whose tension is increased or decreased through the medium of the regulating-bur 22-that is to say, if the bur is rotated in one direction the tension of the spring will be increased, or if the bur is operated in the other direction the tension of the spring will be diminished. The pin loosely extends through the regulatinglever 18, and through the connection between the shaft 15 and said lever 18 said shaft 15 is yieldingly mounted, so as to compensate for diflerent thicknesses of mortar upon the bricks when the said bricks are passing between the cleaning-heads, to be hereinafter described, for the reason that one of the cleaning-heads is carried upon the inner end of the shaft 15.

The reference character 26 denotes a transversely-extending shaft which is journaled in the member 9 and carries a gear-wheel or band-pulley 27, which is connected to a suitable means for imparting movement to said shaft 26. The transversely-extending shaft 26 may be transversely movable or yielding in the same manner as the shaft 15, and if so the adjustable lever and its connection are attached to the shaft 26 in the same manner as the shaft 15. In some cases it has been found advisable to make one of the shafts rotatable and yielding and the other shaft simply rotatable and not transversely movable or yielding, and in some cases it has been found necessary to make both of the said shafts transversely movable or yielding in a manner as set forth. One of the shafts is shown yieldable through the medium of the adjustable lever and its connections; but it is evident that both of said shafts can be made transversely movable; but the adjustable lever and its connection are simply shown as applied to one of the shafts.

The inner end of the shaft 15 carries a cleaning-head, and the inner end of the shaft 26 carries a cleaning head. These cleaningheads are opposed to each other and are arranged at the side of the path of the conveyerblocks 3. As both of the cleaning-heads are constructed alike, but one will be described, the same reference characters being applied to both heads. Each of the cleaning-heads is mounted for rotation upon its respective shaft and is provided with a hub secured to its respective shaft in any suitable manner. Each of the cleaning-heads consists of a disk 28, having one face provided centrally with a concentric series of beveled teeth 29, which are grouped in close proximity to each other, and the same face of the disk is further provided throughout with a series of beveled teeth 30, arranged promiscuously and suitably spaced apart. The teeth 29 are somewhat longer than the teeth 30. The teeth are so constructed as to form the toothed face of each cleaning-head in a convexed manner that is to say, the teeth gradually increase in height from the outer edge of each disk to the center thereof. The arrangement of the teeth in such a manner allows for the gradual decreasing thickness of the brick as the mortar is being removed and as the brick passes between the two cleaning-heads.

The reference character 31 denotes the hub, which is an integral portion of the disk and which is suitably fixed to its respective operating-shaft.

By providing the adjustable lever and its spring connection for the shaft 15 or for the shafts 15- and 26 the cleaning heads press against the bricks in a uniform manner, and consequently the heads are yielding, so as to compensate for the varying thickness of the mortar upon the bricks.

Of course it will be evident that in assembling the briclecleaning machine three groups of heads would be employedone to clean the side, another the end. and the-other the edges of the bricks-and all that would be necessary would be to arrange the heads with respect to the conveyer at difierent parts of the feedtable, the operator turning the brick in the proper manner after it passes through one pair of cleaning-heads.

hen it is desired to clean a brick, it is shoved up against the guide 11, and as the conveyor is traveling toward the cleaningheads one of the conveyer-blocks will engage the brick and carry it forward to the cleaning-head. During the passage of said brick toward the cleaning-heads the guide 13 will also assist in retaining it in position. hen the brick reaches the cleaning-heads, the teeth of the heads will operate upon the brick to clean the mortar therefrom, and owing to the arrangement and peculiar construction of the teeth, as shown, the mortar will be readily removed from the bricks during the rotation of the cleaning-heads, or, in other words, the teeth will in reality out the mortar very rapidly from the brick. Owing to the arrangement of the regulating means with respect to one or both of the shafts, the heads will bear in a uniform manner against the bricks, and as the teeth eat down into the mortar the regulating means will gradually move the heads toward one another, so as to keep the teeth in the proper position with respect to the mortar, so that all of it will be removed from the bricks.

It is thought the many advantages of a brick-cleaning machine embodying the cleaning-heads constructed in accordance with the foregoing description and also embodying the transversely-movable shaft or shafts which carry the cleaning-heads as set forth can be readily understood, and it will furthermore be evident that changes, variations, and modifications can be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing any of its advantages, and I therefore do not wish to restrict myself to the details of construction hereinbefore described, and set forth in the annexed drawings, but reserve the right to make such changes, variations, and modifications as come properly within the scope of the protection prayed.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A brick-cleaning machine having a pair of rotatable cleaning-heads, each comprising a disk having one face provided with a concentrically-arranged series of cutting-teeth at the center thereof, grouped in close proximity to each other and further provided with a plurality of cutting-teeth irregularly disposed throughout said face.

2. A brick-cleaning machine having a pair of rotatable cleaning-heads, each comprising a disk having one face provided with a concentrically-arranged series of cutting-teeth at the center thereof, grouped in close proximity to each other and further provided with a plurality of cutting-teeth irregularly disposed throughout said face, each of said cleaningheads being substantially convexed in crosssection.

3. A brick-cleaning machine having a pair of rotatable cleaning-heads, each comprising a disk having one face provided with a concentrically-arranged series of teeth at the center thereof and further provided with a plurality of beveled cutting-teeth irregularly disposed throughout said face.

beveled cutting-teeth irregularly disposed throughout said face, a rotatable operatingshaft for each of said disks, one of said shafts being transversely movable, and an adjustable yielding regulating means for said transversely-movable shaft.

6. A brick-cleaning machine comprising a pair of rotatable cleaning-heads, a rotatable shaft fixed to each of said heads, one of said shafts being transversely movable, an adjustable regulating-lever engaging the outer end of said transversely-movable shaft, and an adjustable and yieldable regulating-pin for said lever.

7. A brick-cleaning machine comprising a pair of cleaning-heads, each provided with a concentrically-arranged series of teeth and an irregularly-arranged series of teeth, rotatable means for said heads, and an adjustable yieldable regulating means for said rotatable means.

8. A brick-cleaning machine having a pair of cleaning-heads, each of which consists of a disk, a h ub connected with the disk, a concentric series of beveled teeth grouped in close proximity to each other and arranged approximately centrally of one face of the disk, and further provided with an irregularly-arranged series of beveled teeth on said face and extending from the edge of the disk to near the concentrically-arranged series of teeth.

9. A brick-cleaning machine having a pair of cleaning-heads, each of which consists of a disk, a hub connected with the disk, a concentric series of beveled teeth grouped in close proximity to eachother and arranged approximately centrally of one face of the disk, and further provided with an irregularly-arranged series of beveled teeth on said face which ex tend from the edge of the disk to near the concentrically-arranged series of teeth, each of said heads substantially convexed in cross-section.

10. A brick-cleaning machine comprising a pair of rotatable toothed cleaning-heads, a rotatable shaft fixed to one of said heads, a rotatable and transversely-movable shaft fixed to the other of said heads, an adjustable regulatinglever pivoted at one end and having its other end engaging the outer end of said transversely-movable shaft, an adjustable and yielding regulating-pin extending through said lever, and means mounted upon the outer end of said pin for adjusting it, thereby regulating the movement of said lever.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANCIS T. LEEDER.

Witnesses: C. WV. TAYLOR,

WVoonBURY SANBORN. 

